Improvement in flue-cleaners



G. W. CLUTJGH,

I FLUE-CLEANER.

No.187,Z55. Patented Feb. 13, 1 877.

N-PETEBS. PROTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

' GEORGE W. GLOUGH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAMW. DAVY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT iN FLU E=CLEANERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,255, dated FebruaryIll, 1877; application filed April 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. GLOUGH, of Cleveland, in the county ofOuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flue-Cleaners; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompany drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in flue-cleaners for cleaning.tubular fines; and consists in the combination of devices andappliances hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in elevation of my improvedflue-cleaner. Fig. 2 is a view. showing the manner of dovetailing theends of the springs into the central or wedge blocks. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal central section of the cleaner.

A are scrapers or cutters, which act directly upon the obstructions inthe flue. They are triangular in shape, with their cutting-edges on thearc of a circle, corresponding in size with the flue to be scraped. Bare guides for guiding the cleaner properly into the flue, and whichalso serve in a measure to split 01f the impediments in the flue readyto be carried out by the cutters.

The cutters shown in the drawings are, preferably, formed of steel,though they may be formed of any suitable metal.

The guides B are, as shown in the drawings,

I formed of cast metal, though they may be of wrought metal. The castmetal, however, can readily be made with wings B, whereby the guides canbe easily riveted to the sprin arms and to the plate A. O arespring-arms made, preferably, though not necessarily, of of temperedsteel. Each of the arms (3 has a dovetail tenon, G, at its lower end tofit into a corresponding dovetail mortise in the con tral or wedge blockD, which block has faces to correspond with the several arms that areemployed. I) is a bolt with a screw-shaft. This bolt is cast into thewedge-block D so as to make a rigid part of it. E is a ferrule, taperedto correspond with the taper of the wedge-block D, and of a sizesuflicient to slip over the said block to hold the spring-arms in place.F is a nut, run upon the shaft D until it strikes the ferrule E. By thenforcing it farther on it draws the wedge-block D down strongly into theferrule E until the Whole structure is bound firmly together, and, whenattached to any suitable rod or handle, forms the complete instrument.

The nut E is recessed at its outer edges, so asto permit the ferrule tofit down into the said recess, and thus hold the two parts firmly intheir proper relationship with each other.

It is apparent that I am not strictly limited to three arms and cutters,but there may be any desired number, each cutter being attached to aseparate arm.

It will be observed that these cutters are all arranged in the sameplane. It is necessary, therefore, that their inner edges should be cutaway somewhat, so as to permit the cutters to be contracted somewhatmore than simply enough to enter the flue.

It is not absolutely essential that the cutters should be all on thesame plane. They may be so situated as to overlap each other, and thusadmit of any degree of contraction, though, on account of the curvegiven to the cutting-edges A, the same size of cleaner is only adaptedto clean ilues which vary but moderately in diameter. Flues much largeror much smaller should have a corresponding size of flue-cleaner.

In case it is desired, steel or iron wedges G may be driven in betweenthe ferrule and the wedge-block, to assist in holding the arms firmly intheir places.

The nut F is, preferably, nnnle hollowed or recessed on its under side,so as to lighten it.

The attachment of the spring-arms to the wedge-blocks by means of thedovetail groove in the wedge-block, allow of the'ready detachment of thespring'arms, should they become impaired and thereby necessitaterenewmg.

By unscrewing the fastening-nut and removing ferrule E, the arms 0 maybe readily removed from the dovetail groove 0 in said wedge-block. Thedovetail groove also prevents any longitudinal movement of thespringarm, which tendency is great, as the cleaner is reciprocatedwithin the fines or tubes of a boiler.

The dovetail wedge-block D serves to prevent any end play of thescrapers in either direction, and also any lateral displacement of thesame while in operation. The nut F simply serves to keep the collar G inposition,

a and the latter secures the wedges against the cured together, of thenut F, recessed as described, ferrule E, and arms 0, substantially asand for the purpose described.

3. In a flue-c1eaner, the combination, with the wedge-block D, and boltD, rigidly se: cured together, of the nut F, recessed as described,ferrule E, and arms 0, the ends of which have tenons cut thereon to fitthe dovetail grooves in the wedge-blocks, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. OLOUGH. Witnesses:

FRANCIS ToUMEY, JAMES P. WALSH.

